Post Uranium Mining: The activities of the Groupe d Expertise Pluraliste in Limousin (France)

Transcription

1 Groupe d Expertise Pluraliste Post Uranium Mining: The activities of the Groupe d Expertise Pluraliste in Limousin (France) UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept Yves Marignac GEP Coordinator Didier Gay Scientific Secretary SUMMARY! Background " Uranium mining, post-mining and concerns! Setting Up " Mission, organisation and means of GEP! Addressing Issues " Priorities and current work of GEP! Achievements / Prospects " Balance sheet and follow-up UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

2 BACKGROUND (NATIONAL) Uranium Mining in France! 50 years of operation " Started in 1948, ended in 2001 " More than 200 sites in 23 mining zones " tons of uranium produced " 50 million tons of mill tailings on 17 storage sites " From scattered owners to a major operator Cogema (now AREVA) Uranium mining zones in France UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 BACKGROUND (NATIONAL) Post-Mining Activities! Scattered and complex legacy " Legacy of more than 200 sites, 52 million tons of mill tailings, > 200 million tons of waste rocks! Closure work completed at most sites " now monitoring and control plus some water treatment " issue of (long term) sustainability of the systems implemented Mill tailings storage site after rehabilitation (MCO , Bellezane) UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

3 BACKGROUND (NATIONAL) Local and National Concerns! Controversies on rehabilitation / local pollution particularly in Limousin " actions of environmental NGOS " independent counter-assessment of risks " media coverage " juridical trials opposing NGOs and AREVA! Update of national policy on long term management of radioactive residues and contaminated sites " 2006 Act on radioactive waste management " Provisional programme for long term management of mill tailing disposals to be prepared by the end of 2008 UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 BACKGROUND (LIMOUSIN) Mining division: La Crouzille Uranium in Limousin! The core of uranium mining in France " From the first mine to the last closure " 40% of French production " 30 mining sites, 2 milling sites, 5 tailings disposal sites " Division La Crouzille: 24 mining sites, tons uranium from 12,8 million tons UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

4 BACKGROUND (LIMOUSIN) Local Context / Crouzille La Crouzille " 24 mining sites (58 Mt waste rocks; 100 ppm) " 4 mill tailings storage sites (20 Mt ; mean Ra226 conc. 30 Bq/g) " 7 watersheds " enhanced concentration found in some sediments (up to ~10 Bq/g) " water collection network (up to ~1Bq/l en Ra226 and 1mg/l en U), water treatment where necessary " calculated added effective dose up to the order of 1 msv for some local groups UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 SETTING UP Part of a Global Effort! End of 1990s: elaboration of guidelines (mill tailing storages) " Recommendations of a working group commissioned by the Ministry of environment with IRSN, AREVA! From 2004: new effort by local authorities " 10-year environmental assessment on Crouzille by Areva " Technical review of this assessment (mainly by IRSN)! From the end of 2005: commissionning of a national pluralistic expertise group (GEP) on Limousin uranium mines " End 2005, joint letter by 3 Ministers: Environment, Industry, Health " End 2007, additionnal letter by Ministries of Environment and Industry and Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN)! Coordination / 2006 Law on radioactive waste management UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

5 SETTING UP Comprehensive Commitment (mid 2006-end 2009)! Contribute to the critical analysis " Discuss AREVA s 10-year environmental assessment and the monitoring plan for concerned sites " Participate in the discussion of orientations of IRSN s technical review! Help choices with management and monitoring options: " Recommendations for the reduction of impacts from mining sites in Haute-Vienne / in Limousin " Medium to long term perspectives with focus on: - comparison (other industries, foreign remediation experience) - technologies for water treatment, discharge limits, passive protection on mill tailings disposal sites - local remediation work already implemented - methodology for extending recommendations to all French sites! Contribute to the information of local stakeholders and the public Note: first commission letter (end 2005) / second commission letter (end 2007) UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 SETTING UP Pluralistic Composition! Composition of the GEP: " Around 30 experts gathered " Various technical fields e.g. earth sciences, metrology of radioactivity, radioecology, radiation protection, nuclear safety " Representatives from IRSN, AREVA, local/national authorities, local/national NGOs, independent experts, foreign experts Public Institutes and Administration NGOs and independent Industry Foreign experts - IRSN, InVS - Academics - Authorities - Independent experts - Local NGOs - Areva NC - International REX (IAEA) - UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Israel, Luxemburg 16 experts 5 experts 3 experts 6 experts UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

6 SETTING UP Organisation and Means! Means for pluralism " Plenary Group + Working Groups open to more members " Shared animation of groups: IRSN / independent or academics " Public funding, including for independent / foreign experts work! Support of external technical expertises " Environmental assessment by the operator AREVA " Third-part assessment by the public institute IRSN " Relevant work from other sources (academics, independent, foreign bodies ) " Further studies could be recommended if needed UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 ADDRESSING ISSUES Priorities / Working Groups! Prioritary themes " Rehabilitation status of mill tailings storage/disposal sites " Environmental impacts (primarily related to liquid releases) and relevance of the actions taken or planned " Broader approach to address: - health and environmental monitoring - regulatory concerns and long term issues! Issues addressed by 3 (+1) working groups " WG 1: Source term and releases to the natural environment " WG 2: Impacts on populations and the environment " WG 3: Regulatory framework and long term issues " WG 4: Measurement issues (support to other WGs) UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

7 ADDRESSING ISSUES WG 1: Transfers to the Environment! Rehabilitation status of disposal sites " Site by site approach - Focus: Bellezane " Studies: - hydraulic characteristics of the site (hydrogeology) - monitoring efficiency for waterborne transfers - efficiency of the cover for airborne transfers " Understanding current level of efficiency Assess future efficiency in various scenarios! Transfers to the environment from liquid discharges " Approach by catchment basin - Focus: Ritord " Studies: - sources of radioactivity added to natural - efficiency of water treatment - retaining reservoirs and clay sediment deposition " Adapt water treatment and target activities to impacts UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 ADDRESSING ISSUES WG 2: Environmental and Health Impacts! Go beyond health and environmental impact assessement set forth in regulations 1 Environmental Impact radiological and chemical 2 Health Impact radiological and chemical 3 Health monitoring " First application of an innovative method to evaluate impact of radioactive substances on local ecosystems " Feasibility of quantitative evaluation of radioactive risk other than additional effective dose to reference groups " Health monitoring: reviewing public health surveillance " Plan to consider chemical risk UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

8 ADDRESSING ISSUES WG 3: Regulatory Issues and Long-Term! Link technical analysis with: " Changing priorities in the area of environmental protection " Sustainability of rehabilitation works " Long term liability (transfer from the operator to the state) " Stakeholders involvement! Past and current investigations: " Legal qualification of the materials and sites Discuss the most appropriate implementation of the regulatory framework for long-term management " Long-term aspects of monitoring Timescale and scenarios to consider Move towards less active monitoring and features UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 ACHIEVEMENTS / PROSPECTS Interim Balance Sheet! Operational " 1 st interim report after 6 months, 2 nd interim report end of 2007 " first specific and local recommendations implemented " started reporting to local commissions in Limousin " website on-line: Added value " playground for broader technical and scientific dialogue " multiple approach, enhanced methodology " interlinking technical and societal analyses to address long term issues! Challenge / final delivery (end of 2009) " from analysis of current situation to prospective options " from site-specific analysis to a global approach UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

9 ACHIEVEMENTS / PROSPECTS Initial status Current status INPUT Characterisation of materials and sites Geographical context Socio-economical context Impacts on man and the environment MODELLING? SCENARIOS Phenomenology of the system Natural hazards Man-induced hazards Indicators Time horizons Short term Medium term Long term OBJECTIVES Protection of population Protection of the environment (ecosystems) Socio-economical issues (cost, territories ) STRATEGIES Technical options (cover, treatment ) Working roadmap Monitoring programme Decision-making process General guidelines UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 ACHIEVEMENTS / PROSPECTS International Perspective! International return of experience " Large REX but very few specific lessons regarding long term issues " Less shaped international doctrina than expected! International openness " Participation of IAEA and foreign experts " Regular exchanges with WISMUT (March 2007, April 2008, ) - Different in size and context - Convergent in general options, with some technical differences - Confronted to similar issues mostly linked to long term - Step-by-step discussion from the comparison of general approaches down to specific issues! Looking forward to further international exchanges UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19

10 Thank you for your attention More information: Website: (French) Contact: Didier Gay, IRSN Tel.: +33.(0) Yves Marignac, WISE-Paris Tel.: +33.(0) UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19 UMREG Meeting - Freiberg, 17 Sept / 19